1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sequencer for an electronic musical instrument, and more particularly, to a technique for a sequencer that simplifies its data setup procedures by the integrated operation of its display device and its operation terminals.
Electronic musical instrument techniques have reached a high level of development, and electronic musical instruments are being manufactured that can exchange play information with external devices via interfaces that conform to, for example, the industry standards for MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface). One such external device that is in practical use is a sequencer, a controller that reads recorded play information and feeds it to an electronic musical instrument, etc. that thereafter produces musical tones.
To record play information in a sequencer, or to retrieve recorded play information therefrom, various switches must be used to perform data setups. Because the procedures involved are complicated, a sequencer that can simplify data setups is desirable.
2. Description of the Related Art
A sequencer that is used with electronic musical instruments has a storage device for storing play information that it receives from an external device. To store play information for multiple musical pieces, this storage device is divided into a number of storage areas that are identified by individual numbers, "musical piece identification numbers."
When recording, play information that is supplied by, for example, an electronic musical instrument, is stored in a specified storage area identified by a musical piece identification number.
When reproducing, play information is read from a specified storage area that is identified by a musical piece identification number, and sent, for example, to an electronic musical instrument that uses it to reproduce musical tones. This reproduction can be performed at a desired tempo that is selected in advance.
Thus, for recording, the sequencer has to be set up to receive data for musical numbers, while for reproduction, the sequencer must be set up to transmit data for musical numbers and tempos. It should be noted that some sequencers, depending on their functions, may require other data setups; however, to simplify the explanation, a sequencer that needs only the previously described data setups will be described.
A conventional sequencer includes a display device, a cursor positioning switch, and a value change terminal to perform the above data setups.
Arranged on the display device are multiple data sets, each set consisting of a data identifier and a fixed value. In this example, a message set consisting of a musical piece identification number and its fixed value, and a message set consisting of a tempo and its fixed value are displayed on the display device.
To change a displayed musical piece identification number, for example, an operator uses a cursor positioning switch to move the cursor to a location where the current musical piece identification number is displayed, and then uses a value change terminal to display and set a desired, alternate musical piece identification number. The cursor remains at the location where the musical piece identification number is displayed.
Likewise, to change a tempo, the operator uses the cursor positioning switch to move the cursor to the location where the current tempo value is displayed, and then uses the value change terminal to display and set a desired, alternate tempo value. The cursor remains at the location where the tempo value is displayed.
As described above, because a conventional sequencer uses a display device, a cursor positioning switch, and a value change terminal to make data setups, the cursor must always be moved to the location where the fixed data value that is to be altered is displayed. These operations are overly complex and too time consuming.